Scooper's R&C power rack and pinion Mustang II "type" install.

Got it all installed today, so starting this thread over from scratch.

After cutting all the old suspension off, and I mean ALL of it, including the strut rod bar up front, because it gets in the way when installing the long bolts that hold in the lower A-arm. I was hoping to keep it, because it makes a great jacking point, but no luck.

After welding it up, and realizing that my welds were crap, I spent the past 2 or 3 weeks trying to track down a mobile welder to come and do it right. It was already centered and measured, and put where it belonged, so he just had to grind out each weld one at a time and reweld it.



After he cleaned up the welds, I painted, and finally got to installing everything today.

First problem (of several). There is no feasible way to use a spring compressor to get the springs in, so I took the spring compressor apart and used the upper spring hat as a replacement set of the hooks in the compressor. I had to get the spring lined up to the lower spring perch, as there is a notch where the end of the spring needs to seat when the spring is uncompressed.



Once the springs were compressed enough to get the spindle nuts on, I cranked them down to specs, put the brake calipers on, and put each wheel on, and uncompressed the springs and let the car down. I put the wheels on because the springs were trying to push the A-arms so far apart that there was a very sharp angle on the ball joints, that did not look good for them.

Hooked up the sway bar which was measured and welded prior to the welder coming, so that they should all be where they need to be when the weight is put back on the front of the car.

Second issue I came across is that the springs are not compressed very much without the engine in, so the the geometry is messed up and the shocks will not go in at this time. Probably over-extend the shocks if I could get them in, because the car is still sitting pretty high.



I have the wheels sitting on rugs, so I can move them pretty easily. I lined them straight up, then pulled them in about 1/4" to get the toe approximated. Slipped on the connecting rods, centered the steering rack, and put the connecting rods onto the spindles. Torqued them all down, cotter keyed all 6 joints. And done for the day.



Next step is to pull the steering column, modify it to connect to the steering gear with two u-joints. Then drop in the engine, add power steering pump and plumbing, rewire, and re-plumb fuel and brake lines, and drive to the alignment shop.

 

Currently, without engine, car sits pretty high.

 

Depending on the type of bushings in tha A arms, you might consider loosening the bolts and tighten them when the weight is all back in.. That way they are not bound and twisted..

 

Good call! This is actually in the R&C instructions to do that after all the weight has been put on them.

 

Loooooking Good!!!

 

Yea.. I would have them loose now.. It's coming together

 

Looks sweet, Scott! Sleeping better now that the welds were re-done?

 

Yes. WAY more comfortable with the welds redone.

Gene, are you suggesting that NOW is the time to loosen the A-arm bolts? Retighten now, or wait til they have the engine weight on them?

 

I would loosen them, and then wait until everything is back in the car to tighten them. You want all the weight to be in there before hand.

Looking good though.

 

OK, guys. Loosening now!

 

What he said

 

Maybe he has you blocked, and can't see what you are saying....

 

I got a PM saying that the rotors are on the wrong side in my pictures.

Are those grooves direction-specific?

And what would be a good jacking point now and later when the engine is in? Could I jack at the bottom of those tabs that hold the shocks?

 

Yes, they are more than likely directional, and no I wouldn't put a jack on the shock tabs, use the torque box, to jack up the front.

 

Is torque box that low part of the frame under the front door?